3D Printing

Has the next industrial revolution begun? When will we be able to print smartphones using our very own desktop printers? Or will we ever? What is 3D printing other than a slow way of making a single part? We regularly discuss this topic at Spark. We all see the power and beauty of additive manufacturing; high-end and low-end. Although some of us are more impressed than others because this technology has been around for decades and we are still mainly printing inferior plastics, others are excited at the opportunity to translate their creative powers into direct and tangible results.

Insight

The designer

For the product design community, the 3d printing revolution already started years ago, with the ability to prototype complex plastic parts, without tooling. This impacted the development process: allowing for a higher frequency of iterations and gaining deeper insights earlier in the development stages. As a matter of fact, 3D printing was initially intended as a prototyping technique: ‘Designed for the designer.’ Specialist prototyping companies have emerged, investing in expensive SLS and SLA machines to facilitate the development industry.

The hobbyist

The current revolution is different. In the past few years, an active community of hobbyists has emerged with its own modus operandi: building and sharing 3D printers, hacking, improving and sharing each other’s designs. The implied incentive is to democratize the production of things: all open source. Some of these hobbyists who are closely connected to the community have now become large, successful manufacturers who ship thousands of 3D printers around the globe.

The growth

Now the revolution is spreading. Machines and materials are diversifying and improving, leading to increased versatility. Prices have dropped, opening the door to serial production. Also, the user community continues to grow and the amount of 3D files you can freely download with it: from simple toys to assemblies, like an action figure, a candy dispenser or even a handgun. Operating printers and 3D CAD software is becoming more user friendly, opening the market to new users. To complete the revolution, a number of recycling machines are about to hit the market. Soon shredding your PET bottle into printing filament for your 3D printer might be commonplace.